12 July 2007

A neighbor of ours from Elm Street was struck dead a few days ago while trying to cross Liberty Street. Miss Anna was of those people who seem to be permanent parts of your block; always there, watching everyone and making small talk. Elm Street got a bit poorer today. From the Cincinnati Post:

An 85-year-old was killed Saturday while trying to cross a street in Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati police said.

Anna Pace of Over-the-Rhine was crossing West Liberty Street near Pleasant Street when she was hit by a pickup truck about 3:45 p.m. She was not in a marked crosswalk, police said. She was taken to University Hospital, where she died.

I don't yet know the details, however I can pretty much guess she had just finished picking up a few items at Findlay Market and was walking home, down Pleasant, which continues on both sides of Liberty, but where there is no light. Many people cross here, and you will often see people dodging the traffic.

Liberty Street is the most dangerous street in the neighborhood to cross. The entire length of Liberty needs a green median, like Central Parkway and parts of MLK (in Clifton/Avondale) have. The median is needed partially because older people cannot get accross the street fast enough, and need to stop and rest in the middle.